Query language determination using query terms and interface language

• US 20070288450A1
• Filed: 04/19/2006
• Published: 12/13/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/19/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Google LLC (Alphabet Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Google Inc. (Alphabet Inc.)
• Inventors: Lopiano, Fabio, Datta, Ruchira
• Granted Patent: US 8,762,358 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 16/3344 using natural language analysis
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/126 Character encoding
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/129 Handling non-Latin characters, e.g. kana-to-kanji conversion
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/247 Thesauruses; Synonyms

Abstract

Methods, systems, and apparatus, including computer program products, operable to perform operations including receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms, the user interface having an interface language, the interface language being a natural language; and determining a query language for the query from the query terms and the interface language, the query language being a natural language.

Claims

1. A computer implemented method, comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms, the user interface having an interface language, the interface language being a natural language; and

determining a query language for the query from the query terms and the interface language, the query language being a natural language.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

using the query language to select one or more mappings and using the selected one or more mappings to simplify each query term to a corresponding simplified query term; and

applying each simplified query term to a synonyms map to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.

4. The method of claim 3, further comprising:

determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

5. The method of claim 4, further comprising:

using each of the scores for the multiple languages to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.

6. A computer program product, encoded on a computer-readable medium, operable to cause data processing apparatus to perform operations comprising:

receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms, the user interface having an interface language, the interface language being a natural language; and

determining a query language for the query from the query terms and the interface language, the query language being a natural language.

7. The product of claim 6, the operations further comprising:

determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

8. The product of claim 6, the operations further comprising:

using the query language to select one or more mappings and using the selected one or more mappings to simplify each query term to a corresponding simplified query term; and

applying each simplified query term to a synonyms map to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.

9. The product of claim 8, the operations further comprising:

determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

10. The product of claim 9, the operations further comprising:

using each of the scores for the multiple languages to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.

11. A system comprising:

means for receiving from a user through a user interface a search query comprising one or more query terms, the user interface having an interface language, the interface language being a natural language; and

means for determining a query language for the query from the query terms and the interface language, the query language being a natural language.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

13. The system of claim 11, further comprising:

means for using the query language to select one or more mappings and using the selected one or more mappings to simplify each query term to a corresponding simplified query term; and

applying each simplified query term to a synonyms map to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

means for determining a score for each one of multiple languages, the score indicating a likelihood that the query language is that one of the multiple languages.

15. The system of claim 14, further comprising:

means for using each of the scores for the multiple languages to identify possible synonyms with which to augment the search query.